Structural toy assembly means



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. M. ROACH Filed July 12, 1344 STRUCTURAL TOY ASSEMBLY MEANS Oct. 14, 1947.

E. M. ROACH STRUCTURAL TOY ASSEMBLY MEANS Filed July 12, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 14, 1947. E. M. ROACH STRUCTURAL o ASSEMBLY maims Filed Jilly 12, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 2mm Om hvm m .N QM v N Patented Oct. 14, 1947 sTnUoTU-RAL TOY ASSEMBLY EANS Earl M. Roach, Chicago, III/1., .assig'nor to Arvey o p ra on. h ca o. I a orp ation o Illinois Application July 12, 1944,'Se1:ial No. 544,540

2 Claims. (01. {w -.286.)

This invention relates to the construction of toys such as model airplanes and the like, and particularly to a novel means for aiding or facilitating the assembly of such structural :toy parts.

The provision of toy airplane .kits in the form of structural parts simulating various models .of airplanes for the amusement .and education of children is well known. Such kits conventionally comprise various frame former elements such as body formers, wing ribs, stringers, struts, and the like parts which require assembly by proper -positioning and alignmentsof the respective parts, followed'by gluing them together. For suohpur pose various assembly aids have been provided.

It is an object 'of thepresent invention to .prm vide new and improved assembly aid, particularly adapted for the construction of toyairplanes, which is of simple construction, easy to set up and assemble and which not only greatly facilitates the. construction'process, but additionally reduces the degree of-skill required in making the assembly and at the same timeisconducive to more accurate and better results.

In general the present invention relates to means for-aiding in'the assembly ofand for'positioning and supporting toy airplane frame former elements such as body formers, wing ribs and the like structural parts, which includesone or-more frame former element alignment rails, each rail comprising an elongated strip ofvsheet material formed with a series of spaced slots of Ii-miteddepth opening to one longitudinal edge thereof, and a series of frame former elements of sheet material adapted tobe transversely received and positioned inthe slots of the rail or rails to be held in spaced parallel alignment thereby.

The frame former elements are each formed with a slot of limited depth opening to a peripheral edgeportion, or when morethan on -rail is employed, the former elements are provided with an equivalent number of angularly spaced slots, for embracingengagement with the rail or rails beneath the slots thereof to prevent lateral displacement of the frame or :body former elements by reason of the slotted interlock engagement of the rail or rails and former elements with each other.

Further objects'relate to other details of constructionand arrangement of parts and the advantages and economies thereof which will be apparent from a consideration of-thefollowing specification and drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of myinvention employing asingle alignment rail for the assembly of the fuselageofv a toy airplane, with 2 body formers positioned therein in slotted interlook-ed engagement.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the form of my inventitan-illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3Iis a section on .the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective detail of one endof the alignment rail illustrated in Figs. .1

and 2.

:Fig. 5 is an elevation of .a slotted body former element adapted for interlocking engagement with the alignment rail in the preceding figures.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a single align ment rail-of modified .form of construction.

Fig. 7 is afragmentary perspective detailof one of the alignment rails illustrated in Fig. .6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspectivexdetailivieiv of an alignment rail similartothat of Fig.6 and a slotted wing :rib adapted for interlocking engagement therewith.

Fig. :9 is a .side elevation of another modified form :of assembly means illustrating the employ mentof three .walignment rails with body formers in slotted interlocked engagement therewith.

:Fig. lOis a plan view of the arrangement illustratedin Fig. 9.

' Fig. 11 is an end elevation viewed inthe directionof the line .I I IJI of Fig. 9.

Fig. .12 is asection on the line 12-12 of'Fig. 9.

Fig. :13 is an elevation of .aslottedbodyformer adapted .for interlocking engagement with the threerailsillustratedin the construction cat-Elsi 9.

Fig. .14..is anelevation. of a slotted endstabilizer plateemployedin the arrangement of Fig.9,

Fig. 15 is a plan view of a further modified form. of construction employing three alignment rails.

Referring to the drawings, particularly Figs. 1 to 5, the reference ,numeral ill indicates an alignment rail in accordancewithmy invention adapted .for the assembly of .a fuselage of a. toy airplane, and comprises an elongated strip .of sheet material such as cardboard. Drovided'with a pluralityof longitudinally spaced slots ll of limited depth and widthopeningto the upper longitudinal edge thereof. In this form, the slots I! may be of equal depth andof a Width sufilcient to frictionally engage body formers 12. For the purpose of providing the proper longitudinal contour of the fuselage, and to position a series :of body formers l2, whichmay be of varying contour and diameter, the upward defining or longitudinaledgeof the strip to may be angularly or. arcuately contoured as illustrated to .suit the particular model of airplane being simulated.

For the purpose of securing the alignment rail I9 to a suitable mounting surface while the model airplane is being assembled and constructed, the lower longitudinal edge of rail I is provided with laterally extendible flange I3, by means of Which the rail may be tacked to a suitable table or base board. The opposed ends of the flange I3 are provided with contiguous upwardly foldable flaps I4 adapted to frictionally lock against the notched cut out end I5 of the alignment rail. This tab I4 is adapted to befolded upwardly so as to extend perpendicularly to the flange I3 and transversely of the body or the rail I0 so as to permit the rail ill to be maintained in edgewise elevated position with its slots II opening upwardly.

The frame or body formers I2 in addition to being provided with the conventional peripheral notches I6 for lodgement of the conventional stringers I1, is provided with an additional relatively elongated notch or slot I8 of limited depth and a width substantially equal to the thickness of the material of which the alignment rail I0 is composed. It will be understood as previously indicated that the body formers I2 are provided in a series, each adapted to be engaged in a respective notch II of the rail I0, and in accordance with my invention the body formers I2 are adapted to be transversely received in the slots II of the rail III in a manner whereby the frame or body former elements I2 descend to the limit of the depth of the slot I8 within the slots II of the rail I0 and to the limits of the depth of slots II whereby these two components at their respective slotted areas are brought into slotted embracin engagement with each other. This not only holds the two component portions in frictional engagement but by reason of the slotted interlock, the body formers are held against lateral displacement so as to insure alignment of the body formers not only in a longitudinal but in a transverse direction in a predetermined manner as to thereby reduce the skill or care necessary in assembly, and to thereby facilitate construction and insure a more accurate and pleasing result.

After the body formers I2 have been positioned in alignment by means of the rail I9, stringers I'I may be longitudinally engaged to the body formers I2 by seating them and gluing them within the notches I6. After the stringers II have been glued to a major portion of the periphery of the fuselage defined by the contour of the body formers I2, and the glue dried, the fuselage composed of body formers I2 and assembled stringers I! may be removed as a unit from the rail I0 and the necessary remaining stringer or stringers attached, and for this purpose the opening of the notch I8 may be employed for engagement of a stringer in a manner similar to the employment of the notches I6.

The form of construction illustrated in Figs. 6 and '1 comprises a single alignment rail I9 formed of an elongated strip of sheet material of cardboard or the like, the lower edge thereof being provided with a laterally extendible flange 29 by means of which the rail may be engaged to a suitable support by means of a thumb tack or otherwise. The alignment rail I9 is caused to be edgewise elevated by means of a pair of transverse stabilizer strips 2| each provided with a downwardly opening slot 22 adapted for interlocking engagement through the upwardly opening slots 23 adjacent the ends of the rail I9, the joint depths of the slots 22 and 23 permitting 4 the strip 2I to descend so that the lower marginal edge of the strip 2I may be brought into parallel abutting engagement with the surface of the support on which the rail I9 is to rest.

The alignment rail I9 is provided with a series of upwardly opening slots 24 of a width adapted to frictionallyengage the body formers I2, and the slots are limited a predetermined depth although in this instance since the upper longitudinal edge of the rail I9 is parallel to the lower longitudinal edge thereof, the slots 24 are of limited but oflvarying depth, the depth of the slots 24 being predetermined by the contour of the model airplane to be simulated and the relative size, contour or diameter of the body formers I2.

As described with respect to the form of construction of Figs. 1 to 4, the body formers I2 are adapted to be seated within the slots 24 of the rail I9 and to be brought into slotted interlocking engagement therewith, to likewise seat, align, and maintain the body formers I2 not only in desired spaced, parallel, longitudinal alignment, but in predetermined symmetrical position and guarded against accidental rotative or lateral displacement.

Fig. 8 illustrates the employment of an alignment rail 5, which is generally similar to rails I9 or I9, and is similarly provided with a series of upwardly opening slots 6 for reception of and for slotted interlocking engagement with a wing rib element I. This rib, similar to the body formers I2, is provided in a series, each formed with a slot 8 opening to one edge, so that when the rib I is positioned with a designated slot 6 and urged down to the depth of its slot 8, the rib is held not only in frictional engagement but held in predetermined position both longitudinally and transversely of rail 5 and locked against accidental lateral displacement, in the manner and for the purpose set forth with respect to the body formers. It will therefore be understood that my described construction is applicable in like manner to the frame formers of the class described in general including body formers, wing ribs, stabilizer ribs, and the like.

Figs. 9 to 13 illustrate a modified and preferred form of toy airplane frame former alignment means wherein a plurality of, and specifically three, alignment rails are jointly employed for the purpose of insuring both longitudinal and lateral alignment of frame formers by means of cooperative slotted interlocked engagement of the frame formers with the alignment rails.

Referring specifically to Figs. 9 to 14, I employ a group of three alignment rails indicated as 28, 29 and 28, each being in the form of an elongated strip formed of cardboard sheet material and each being provided with a series of slots 29 of limited depth and width opening to one longitudinal edge and adapted for reception andengagement of the body formers 30, these slots 29 being formed in a series of predetermined depth adapted for reception or alignment of the body formers 39. The rails 28 of the group may be provided with a flange 3i extendible laterally from the longitudinal edge thereof opposed to the one from which slots 29 open, whereby it may be engaged by means of suitable thumb tacks or the like to a suitable mounting or supporting surface.

For the purpose of laterally stabilizing rail 28' and to maintain it in edgewise elevated position, I provide a pair of end plates 32' which may be of a peripheral contour substantially similar to the frame or body formers 30, and where feasible may actually be employed as body formers. These end plates, however, are provided with a flattened peripheral portion indicated as 33 and a group of three slots 34, 34 and 34', opening to the periphery thereof, slot 34' opening to the flattened portion 33, these slots being adapted for the reception of the rails 28, 28 and 28' respectively, the rails being provided also with companion slots adjacent their ends for slotted interlocking engagement. It will be understood that with lesser effect, I may. dispense with the stabilizers 32 in this form of plural alignment rail arrangement, or I may obtain stabilization through employment of means such as the tabs M of Figs. 1 to 4 or the stabilizer strip 2| of Figs. 6 and 7, in association or engagement with rail 28', although not illustrated.

When employing such group of three alignment rails, the body formers 30 are likewise provided with a group of three angularly spaced slots 35 of limited depth opening to the outer periphery, the width of the slots being substantially equal to the thickness of the rails 28 and 28'. These body formers 30 similar to the body formers l2 described with respect to the previous form of construction are similarly provided with notches 36 for the positioning and engagement of stringers, and they may likewise be provided in suitable contour and varying size in a series to conform to the fuselage contour of the model of the airplane being simulated as previously described.

In aligning the body formers 30 preparatory to securing the stringers thereto the two end plates 32 are engaged with the rail 28 adjacent the opposed ends thereof, and thereafter the series of body formers 30 are seated within the respective and pre-designated slots 29 on rail 28', the area defining one of the slots 35 on each of the body formers being urged down into embracing engagement With the rail 28 below the slots 29 thereof so as to bring the two component portions into not only frictional but slotted interlocking engagement. Thereafter the two additional rails 28 are seated in the two additional slots 35 of the body formers and the slots 34 of the end plates 32, and likewise urged into slotted interlocking engagement. In this manner the body formers are firmly and securely maintained against lateral misalignment or displacement in positive parallel alignment with each other, each of the three rails 28, 28 and 28' being in slotted interlocked engagement with each of the series of body formers 30 and the end plates 32.

Thus in view of the firm position and stability of the body formers 30 it will be apparent that suitable stringers, such as conventional stringers I7 illustrated and described with respect to the previous form of construction, may be seated and adhesively engaged within the notches 36 of the body formers 30 between the three alignment rails, with insurance of a high degree of accuracy in construction and assembly. After the adhesive by means of which the stringers have been secured to the body formers has set, the three rails 28, 28 and 28' may be removed and added stringers secured at the outer ends of the openings of slots 35 to complete the fuselage frame assembly.

Fig. illustrates a form of assembly employing a group of three rails 38, 38 and 38', each provided with a series of longitudinally spaced slots 39 opening to one longitudinal edge, these slots 39 being of a width adapted to receive a body former 30, but in this instance all the slots 39 are of equal depth similar to the rail l0 previously described, in view of the fact that the longitudinal edge of these rails to which the slots open are of angular or curvilinear contour similar to the contour of rail I0 and for like pur.. pose. This form otherwise functions similar to the arrangement of Figs. 9 to 14 with like advantages.

It will be understood with respect to the forms of Figs. 9 to 15 that although a group of three slotted alignment rails are employed with body formers having three slots for cooperative and slotted interlocking engagement therewith, that other plural numbers of alignment rails may be employed such as 2 opposed rails or 4 radially spaced rails, not illustrated, although I prefer to employ three as illustrated and described.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device for aiding in the assembly of and for positioning and supporting toy airplane frame former and the like structural parts of the class described, a plurality of frame former element alignment rails each comprising an elongated strip of sheet material formed with a like series of spaced slots of limited depth opening to one longitudinal edge, and a series of frame former elements of sheet material adapted to be transversely received and positioned in spaced parallel alignment thereby, said frame elements being each formed with a plurality of angularly spaced slots of limited depth opening to the outer defining edge for embracing engagement with said rails beneath the slots thereof whereby to maintain the rails and the frame elements in slotted interlocked engagement with each other.

2. In a device for aiding in the assembly of and for positioning and supporting toy airplane frame former and the like structural parts of the class described, frame former element alignment rails comprising a group of three elongated strips of sheet material each formed with a like series of spaced slots of limited depth opening to one longitudinal edge and series of frame former elements of sheet material adapted to be transversely received and positioned in spaced parallel alignment thereby, said frame elements being each formed with three substantially equiangularly spaced slots of limited depth opening to the outer defining edge for embracing engagement with said rails beneath the slots thereof whereby to maintain the rail and the frame elements in slotted interlocked engagement with each other.

EARL M. ROACH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,202,985 Fogg- Oct. 31, 1916 1,618,536 Junkers Feb. 22, 1927 1,904,674 Blumenthal Apr. 18, 1933 2,060,387 Wallis Nov. 10, 1936 2,104,742 Fleischer Jan. 11, 1938 2,281,792 Ott May 5, 1942 2,348,920 Ott Mar. 16, 1944 

